Together Yet Apart
by Andeneum
Summary: Hawke and Fenris are on their way to Skyhold, knowing that soon they'll have to go their separate ways. They take refuge for the night in a cabin in the Frostbacks and Fenris lets Hawke know how he really feels...


**Hi! Just a quick one shot to clear out my brain. Please let me know what you think!**

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The cabin sat alone and abandoned in the middle of the Frostback mountains, its roof barely holding together after years of neglect and the door hanging crookedly on its hinges. The path leading up to it had long been covered by the constant snowfall of the mountains, and the two weary travellers slowly pushed their way through it, desperate for any shelter they could find.

As they entered the room, Hawke reached over to Fenris to pull the hood from his head, before doing the same to her own. Snow fell around them, covering their boots and the rotting floorboards they were stood on.

She let go of him gently, making sure he could stand on his own, and pointed to a corner of the room, the only part of the desolate place that seemed to not be covered in dirt and grime.

'Go, sit over there. I'll set a fire.' She ordered.

'Hawke, I'm fine.' His voice was weary. He didn't even feel that bad anymore, but that would never stop Hawke cossetting him as though he were a child.

On their journey through the Frostbacks, they had barely seen a soul outside of the few villages that dotted the mountainside. They had let their guards down, thinking they were safe in a place where there was no one to recognise them for the fugitives they had become. However, the lack of people had only made the wolves that had attacked them more eager to kill, their instincts telling them not to give up on the free meal that had appeared before them.

They had fought and killed every wolf that had attacked, with Hawke taking with her all the pelts she could carry. But, as a warrior, Fenris had borne the brunt of the attack. She'd used her magic to patch him up as best she could, but she wasn't a healer, and her skills were rusty at best. Her efforts had worked well enough, but they'd left him tired, in pain and needing to lean on her slightly to walk.

Her voice was resolute when she spoke, 'Did it sound like I was asking a question? Now go.'

Fenris knew better than to argue, and slowly shuffled over to the corner, lowering himself to the ground as gently as he could. He shifted, pulling a note out from inside his armour. He'd read it so many times now, yet he continued looking, as though his wishes alone would change the words on the page.

A gust of air a few minutes later caught his attention, as Hawke threw herself down next to him. She grabbed his arm tightly between her hands, removing the gauntlet and spiked glove that covered it, and hugged it close to her. The fire she'd started would take some time to make any difference in the icy room and Hawke did not do well in the cold.

She shivered dramatically before leaning over him, resting her chin on his shoulder, and taking the letter from his hand. The edges were worn away and the writing was becoming faint, but she too knew the words almost by heart.

 _Hey Hawke,_

 _You seen the big hole in the sky? It's Corypheus, he's back and he's trying to destroy the world. I think it'll be right up your alley- plenty of fighting involved. Get yourself to Skyhold pronto or you'll miss out._

 _Bring the elf too, he still owes me money._

 _Varric_

The note was short and clearly scribbled down in a rush, though that could have just been Varric's terrible handwriting. It had been delivered to them several weeks before, and they'd set out immediately for the Inquisition. With everyone in Thedas talking about their sudden rise to power, it hadn't been difficult to find information on where the group could be found. Then Sebastian's letter had arrived to complicate the situation further.

She could sense Fenris's contemplative mood, rereading the letter always made him upset as it reminded him that soon they would be parting for a while. She couldn't understand why he couldn't just leave the note alone instead of constantly torturing himself.

'You know I have to go. Varric needs me there.' She said quietly, hoping he wouldn't get angry again.

He sighed in response, they'd had this argument so many times now and it was exhausting, 'Yes, and Sebastian needs me in Starkhaven. It doesn't matter how many times you say these things, it won't make it any easier to leave you.'

'It's only until he can convince his allies that he's not going anywhere, then you can come and join me.' She was determined that she was going to cheer him up. They had so little time left together, and she refused to let him be in a mood for the rest of the journey. He'd be insufferable.

'You know, I hear they've got a castle.' She started cautiously, 'Just think of those thick, impenetrable walls and the cannons… ooh and the arsenal they'll have Fen. There'll be so many weapons for us to try out!'

She was trying to make him smile and he knew he wouldn't be able to hold it at bay for long. He loved the woman too much to deny her anything, especially when the thing she desired most was for him to show her how happy he was to be with her.

'All that violent stuff has always been more your passion than mine.' He answered cheekily.

'Are you calling me violent?' She said in feigned offence, pulling back from him, and pressing one hand to her chest. Her mouth fell open, and if it wasn't for her well-known inclination for the dramatic, he would have sworn she was actually offended.

His response was as deadpan as her reaction had been overly dramatic, 'Yes. For a mage, you are surprisingly violent.'

'Well,' She started, drawing the word out, 'any castle worth its weight in salt will have a wine cellar. And I'm sure it won't be guarded, because, you know, who guards a wine cellar?'

He couldn't help the quiet chuckle that escaped him at her words.

She continued, 'And we can head down there, take all of the Inquisitor's wine when no one's looking and head back to our room. I bet they have some great vintages for you to throw against the walls.'

He snorted at her, knowing that if they were lucky enough to have their own room, wine would not be at the top of his list of priorities. 'What makes you think we'll even have walls, let alone an entire room? Knowing the dwarf, he'll probably make sure we're placed in the stables.'

'No, he wouldn't do that. Varric actually likes me.' She smiled sweetly.

His response was a statement rather than a question, 'But not me.'

'He only likes those people who can pay their debts.' He narrowed his eyes at her, but they both knew he wasn't truly angry at her.

Gradually, a comfortable silence descended on them. Hawke was sure the room was warming slightly, but they could barely feel the heat from their little corner far away from the fire. She moved the arm she'd been gripping onto, draping it over her shoulders and tucking herself neatly into his side. She hoped it wouldn't irritate any lingering injuries he had, not that he'd consider telling her if it did. She began to drift, comforted by his presence, and warmed by his body.

Soon she was close to sleep, and barely noticed when his muscles tensed around her and he pulled her more tightly into his body. His head dropped down to place a feather light kiss on the top of her hair.

His next words were spoken in a whisper, quiet and contemplative, 'I can't help you from Starkhaven. I can't protect you.'

She felt his words as a sharp pain in her chest as they dragged her back into consciousness and she pulled away from the warmth of his embrace to look at him. She fixed him with a stern expression, 'Since when have I ever needed you to protect me?'

He'd lifted his head at her unexpected movement, a look of surprise covering his face. His feelings had left his mouth unbidden, and he hadn't expected her to ever hear them. Even with Hawke, he had never grown entirely comfortable with expressing himself in words, 'I'm sorry, I thought you were asleep.'

Her voice lowered, repeating her question, and challenging him to reply, 'Since when Fenris?'

She suddenly fisted her hands into his silky, silver hair, her fingers sinking into the strands and scratching lightly against his scalp. She dragged him down to her, their lips crashing together. His response was immediate, pushing back against her with force, his tongue tracing the outer edges of her lips. They were begging for entrance, but she wouldn't let him in so easily.

The hand that had been wrapped around her before moved down to her waist, rhythmically clenching and unclenching the material of her tunic in his hand as their lips moved quickly against each other. They broke apart when she needed to catch her breath, but the reprieve lasted for only a moment as he dipped his head down to her clavicle, alternating between nipping lightly at her skin and breathing in her scent, before moving up to her neck. She moaned as he started suckling on the spot just under her earlobe, the spot he knew drove her wild.

His lips were clumsy against her, his grip too tight on her body and her pulse running too fast. She could even feel him holding back a small groan as he strained one of his injuries. But in the moment, she didn't care about any of it.

'Never.' She heard him gasp against her as her tongue flicked out and licked up the shell of his pointed ear, 'You're fierce, and strong, and independent…' Feeling his breath brushing across her was maddening and she threw her head back against the wall, desperate for him to start kissing her again. And he didn't need to see this, or her eyes blown wide, or feel how tightly she was gripping and tugging at his hair. He already knew just how much she wanted him to continue.

'And stubborn…' His voice was so deep now, and he kissed her again, 'And frustrating…' Another kiss, 'And absolutely terrible at cooking…'

That woke her up.

'Hey!' She said, removing her hands from his hair, and using one to hit him gently on the side of his head. His resulting chuckle was muffled by her collarbone, but it was amazing to hear it all the same. For weeks, the worry he'd felt about their impending separation had chased so much joy from him.

She pulled his head back up to look in his eyes. They were the most beautiful shades of green, the outside the colour of a lush forest and becoming brighter and clearer the closer it came to the middle.

'I will _always_ return to you.' She said, her voice so full of resolve that it made it difficult for him to believe otherwise. As though any chance of her not returning to his side was an impossibility not worth thinking of.

'Good. I couldn't bare living without you.' He responded, and all she could think to do was smile at him.


End file.
